1. Are these Websites Legit?
Lynn Berard, Science Libraries
Spring 2013

2. Evaluating Web Resources
5 Major Criteria
• Accuracy
• Authority
• Objectivity
• Currency
• Coverage
What is your favorite website?

3. Accuracy
• Rationale: http://www.oncolink.org/; https://www.penncancer.org/
• Anyone can publish anything on the Web.
– Unlike traditional print resources, web resources rarely
have editors or fact-checkers.
– No web standards exist to ensure accuracy.
– Know the distinction between author and webmaster.
– http://www.umbachconsulting.com/miscellany/velcro.html

4. Authority
Is there an author? Is the page signed?
Is the author qualified? An expert?
• Rationale: It’s often hard to determine a
web page’s authorship.
- Even if a page is signed, qualifications aren’t
generally given. http://inequality.org/
– Look for a header or footer showing affiliation.
– Look at the domain. (.edu, .com, .ac.uk, .org.,
net)
http://www.ovaprima.org/index.htm

5. Objectivity
View any Web page as you would an infomercial on
television. Ask yourself why was this written and for whom?
• Rationale: http://www.beefnutrition.org
• Frequently the goals of the sponsors aren’t clearly
stated.
• Often the Web serves as a virtual “soapbox”.
• Be wary of advertising masked as information
• http://wesa.fm/2012/10/05/website-aims-bring-objectivit

6. Currency
• Is the page dated?
• Is so, when was the last update?
http://www.cmpharm.ucsf.edu/cohen/research/pag
• How current are the links? Have some
expired or moved?
• Is there a difference between created date
and last update?
• CNN: http://www.cnn.com/

7. Coverage
• What topics are covered?
• What does this page offer that is not found
elsewhere?
http://www.iihs.org/laws/cellphonelaws.aspx
• How in-depth is the material?
• Is it all images, or a balance of text and
images?
• Is the information presented cited correctly?
http://www.yogakitty.com/

8. Format and Presentation
• Is the information easy to get to? How
many links does it take to get to something
useful?
• Is the target audience or intended users
clearly indicated?
• Does the site have its own search engine?
Http://www.whitehouse.net
http://www.whitehouse.gov/

9. Evaluating Website Resources
• Five criteria for evaluating Web Pages
http://olinuris.library.cornell.edu/ref/research/we
• Tutorial: http://
www.umuc.edu/library/libhow/websiteeval
uation_tutorial.cfm

10. Evaluating Website Resources
• Five criteria for evaluating Web Pages
http://olinuris.library.cornell.edu/ref/research/we
• Tutorial: http://
www.umuc.edu/library/libhow/websiteeval
uation_tutorial.cfm